Means for controlling advancement of stock



Aug. 1951 w. B. EWING 2,565,450

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK Filed Aug. 5, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet l A/A l7 J C 35' D B F/G. I

3 FIG INVENTOR.

WALKLEY B. EWING ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1951 w. B. EWING 2,565,450

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK Filed Aug. 5, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WALKLEY B. EWING ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w.B. EWING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK Aug. 21, 1951 FiledAug. 5, 1946 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. WALKLEY B. EWING AT ORNEY Aug. 21-, 1951- w. B. EWING MEANSFOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK S Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. :5,1946 F/G. 70 h INVENTOR. WALKLEY B. EWING ATTORN EY Aug. 21, 1951 w. B.EWING 2,565,450

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK Filed Aug. 5, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

WALKLEY B. EWING F/G. 72

ATTORNEY Patented A ug. 2i,

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADVANCEMENT OF STOCK Walkley B. Ewing, GrandHaven, Mich., assignor ;to Ewving Development Company, Bay City, Mich.,a corporation of Michigan Application August 3, 1946, Serial N 0.688,302

This invention relates to means for controlling the advancement of sheetmaterial through a machine having cooperating punch and die assembliesfor transforming the sheet material into sun screens, and the presentapplication is a continuation in part of my co-pending applicationsSerial No. 488,611 and Serial No. 488,612, filed May 26, 1943, nowPatent Nos. 2,405,197 and 2,405,198 patented August 6, 1946.

In general, the machine shown and described in the above identifiedco-pending applications includes a table over which the sheet materialis advanced, a die member having a shearing edge in the plane of thetable, a depressed step beyond the same, and a reciprocating punchassembly provided with a cooperating shearing edge. A spring pressedstripper bar carried by the punch assembly is movable to and fromclamping engagement with the sheet material during reciprocation of thepunch assembly and a spring pressed abutment or stop bar is also carriedby the punch assembly and movable relative thereto inthe path of theadvancing sheet material.

In the operation of this machine the parts are so arranged and theirmovement with respect to each other so timed that the main stripper barfirst moves'into contact with the uncut sheet material in advance of thereciprocating punch and clamps the material to the table during thedownward stroke of the punch. The abutment or stop bar for the sheetmaterial is also carried by the reciprocating punch and is timed to moveupwardly with the punch in its upward stroke and to reach the upperlimit of its travel to lie in the path of the advancing sheet stock justprior to the upward movement of the main stripper bar which permits thesheet stock to quickly advance against the stop while the punch is inits retracted position.

When properly adjusted this arrangement of parts is efficient andsatisfactory in operation, particularly where it is desired to employthe reciprocating abutment or stop member as a secondary punch or,forming die.

However, in an effort to increase the speed of machines of thischaracter and, accordingly, the output thereof, it has been found thatoccasionally, due to slight manufacturing inaccuracies or roughness ofthe sheared sheet material, the reciprocating abutment or stop member,in its upward movement, may not always completely strip from and clearthe partially formed portions of the material in contact therewith priorto the upward movement of the main stripper'bar and the resultingrelease of the sheet material for further advancement. Inasmuch as thesheet stock is being fed under slight pressure, the moment the "mainstripper bar releases the material, the cut portions thereof will be 4Claims. (Cl. 164-455) forced more firmly against the face of the stillupwardly moving abutment with the result that the material may bepartially carried upwardly therewith. Such 'a condition may result in ajamming of the material within the machine causing a stoppage thereof.In part, this objectionable condition may be remedied by timing therelatively movable parts so that the main stripper bar remains inclamping contact with the sheet material until the upwardly movingabutment has been fully stripped of the material. However, such asolution unnecessarily limits the minimum time required for the machineto complete one cycle of operation.

Accordingly, one of the essential objects of the invention is to providea machine wherein means is provided for controlling the advancement ofstock so that it may advance in fast, short strokes through the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine wherein twomeans, preferably arranged in tandem, are provided for successivelystopping or limiting the advancement of the sheet material.

Still another objectis to provide a machine wherein one of the meansabove mentioned is carried by and movable with respect to areciprocating punch assembly of the machine and the other means isstationary or positioned in fixed relation thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma reading of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main frame of the machine with aschematic assembly of the supporting structure for the punch actuatingmechanism carried by said frame.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the machine at the centerline thereof, with parts in elevation.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the slitter and folderpunch and die assemblies.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through theslitter punch assembly and the cooperating die assembly when the punchassembly is in fully raised position, with the stripper bar in raisedposition to permit advancement of the sheet material and showing thefixed stop in its relative position to limit such advancement of thestock.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the machine,with certain parts broken away, and showing the fixed or stationary stopmember for limiting the advancement of the sheet material.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the parts shown inFigure 5.

Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view through the upright beam andbearings for the eccentric shafts for actuating the same.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upright beam andbearing sleeves illustrated in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an end view of the structure illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the driving means and supportstherefor.

Figure 11 is an end elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the lineXII-XII of Figure 11 and shown partly in dotted lines to disclose thebed therewith.

Figure 13 is an enlarged front elevation of a small portion of apreferred form of the sun screen made by the machine.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line X1VXIV of Figure13.

Figure 15 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of a slitted blank usedin making the sun screen illustratedin Figures 13 and 14, and

Figure 16 is a perspective View of the blank of Figure 15 partiallyfolded into the screen structure illustrated in Figures 13 and 14.

The sun screen produced by a machine embodying the present invention isformed by slitting and folding a single sheet of material and consistsof a series of parallel strips 2 of elongated cross-section which arevertically superposed at equal intervals not greatly exceeding, andpreferably approximately equal to, the width of a strip and areinclined, preferably at least 45, and perhaps as much as 75, to thegeneral plane of the screen, i. e. to the vertical.

As shown, each individual strip '2 extends horizontally across thescreen and'lies in a single plane. Preferably each strip '2 is elf-setregularly in the same direction at equal intervals along its length, asat 3, the distance of off-set not exceeding about three-fourths thewidth of the strip andbeing advantageously about onehalf such width. Thestrips 2 are joined 'together' by vertical rows o'f'legs 4 'form'edof'sheet material integral with that of the strip, each leg having a widthsubstantially equal'tc the regular off-set distance of'eachstrip,'i."e., not greater than about "three-fourthsthe'width of thestrip and connecting a front portion 5 of the strip with thecorresponding "oppositely oif-set rear edge e of an adjacentstrip. Therows of legs 3. are ordinarily spaced apart'a distance large incomparison to the intervals between the adja= cent strips. Aswillbe seenfrom the drawings, the legs 4 are-inclined to the general plane of thescreen and are also rather sharply inclined to the strips to which theyare attached. The legs in any givenrow are ordinarily in the same or inparallelvertical planes, and. preferably have their centers all .in thesame vertical line, in order to give agenerally rectangular appearanceto the screen.

While the sun screen is illustrated with only two off-sets per strip andtwo rows of legs, it will be appreciated that it may comprise any numberof ofi-sets and corresponding rows of legs to form a screen of thedesired dimensions. In general, the width of a strip will be fromoneeighth to one-half inch and the distance between rows of legsone-half to five inches, although other sizes are equally possible. Thescreen is usually fabricated of thin sheet metal but may also be'forme'dof other flexible, strong material such as synthetic plastic sheet.

In making the sun screen, the sheet material or blank from which thescreen is to be fabricated is first slit and is then formed into thescreen. Preferably this blank comprises a sheet substantially rhomboidalin shape and having therein, on the bias to an edge thereof, a pluralityof like parallel series of parallel regularly, off-set, overlappingslits, said slitted sheet thus defining a plurality of parallelcontinuous regularly off-set members inter-connected at theircorresponding oppositely off-set portions by leg members.

As shown in Figure 15 the parallel slits are all disposed on the bias tothe lateral edges of the said sheet and are arranged in a plurality oflike parallel series as at 8 and 8'. The individual lines within aseries are regularly oil-set a distance which does not exceed aboutthree-fourths the distance between corresponding lines of adjacentseries and overlap at their off-set portions a distance which does notgreatly exceed, and need not equal, the distance between correspondinglines of adjacent series. As a result of this slitting, there are formedparallel continuous regularly off-set strip members 2 interconnected attheir corresponding oppositely offset portions by leg members 4.

The blank slitted as described is formed into a sun screen bysuccessively displacing the strip member diagonally downwardly andbackwardly in the bias direction to support the strip in substantiallyparallel planes and to cause the leg members to become inclined to thestrip and to the general plane of the resulting screen. ,A partiallyfolded blank showing two of the strip members already displaced intoposition is illustrated in Figure .16.

The displacement of the strip members 2 and the concurrent formation ofthe legs ,4 .may be rendered more accurateby defining on the-blank foldlines 9 to mark thepoint of juncture of the leg members 4 with the strip2 either by suitably crimping the blankzor by other means. The foldlines 9 are ordinarily oblique .to the lon edges of the strip 2 and :arepreferably ,in thesame or parallel planes.

The screen may be fabricated by extremely simple means from a :singlesheet of material, and can be made in-any. desired size. 'Themetal inthe screen is not under stress, having been merely folded into-position.The structure presents only smooth, flat :surfaces and hencecollectslittle dust or dirt and-can'be easily cleaned. If desired, it may berolled-upfor shipping.

Referring now to the machineior making the sun screen, referencecharacter 'A-represents-the main frame having a-base lmuprights 'l l andI2 respectively at opposite ends of the'base, and a top [3mounted'upon't'he uprights. 'B is an auxiliary frame mounted-within themain frame A at the bottom thereof and constituting a support fora dieassemblyC an'dfeed' bed D.

Parallel, horizontal'shafts [5,16 and I1, respectively, are disposedobliquely to the longitudinal median line of the main frame andaresupported from the top 13 thereof and adapted to be driven from amotor (not shown) or other suitable power plant upon .the top l3 of theframe. The shafts I5, l6 andl'l are respectively mounted in suitablebearings within sleeves 2| suspended by a'bracket 22'from aplate'23rigidly secured to the under side of the top It of the'frame.

In the present instance, the shaft I5 isa rotating shaft while'theshaftsl6 and IT, respectively,

merely oscillate and are driven in unison from the shaft l5. As shown, adouble crank arm 24 is carried by the shaft l1 and is connected by rods25 and 26, respectively, to cranks 21 and 28, respectively, carried bythe shafts l5 and I6. Thus, rotary movement of the shaft |5 will betranslated by the crank 21, rod 25 and crank 24 into oscillatingmovement for the shaft |1, and such oscillating movement of the shaft Uwill be transmitted by the rod 26 and crank 23 to the shaft |6 so thatboth shafts l6 and I1 will oscillate in unison.

The shafts l6 and H are provided with eccentric portions 29 and 30,respectively, carrying bearings for tubular sleeves 3| and 32 from whicha vertical I-beam 33 is suspended in substantially vertical alignmentwith the auxiliary frame B for actuating simultaneously a slitter punchassembly E and a folder punch assembly F relative to the die assembly C.

The slitter punch assembly E reciprocates vertically relative to the dieassembly C to provide slits such as B and 8' in the sheet material,while the folder punch assembly F oscillates relative to the dieassembly to fold portions of the sheet material beside the slits in thelouver and interconnecting legs such as 2 and 4, respectively.

The folder punch assembly F is beside but separate from the punchassembly E and is secured to a depending leg or flange 34 of the I- beam33 so as to oscillate in unison therewith as such beam is actuated bythe eccentrics 29 and 30 of the shafts l6 and H. A yoke 35 straddles thepunch assembly E and the base 36 of the I-beam 33 and cooperates withsaid base for translating the oscillating movement of the eye beam intoa vertical reciprocating movement for the punch assembly E. In thisconnection it will be noted that the punch assembly E is guidedvertically by means of pins 31 mounted upon the auxiliary frame B. I

The die assembly 0 has a base 49 mounted upon theauxiliary frame Bbeneath the feed bed D and includes a slitter die H and a folder die J.

Preferably the slitter die H is clamped between 5 sections 4| and 4| ofa suitable holder M on the base 40 at the inner end of the feed bed Dwhile the folder die J is anchored upon the outer section 4| of theholder for the slitter dieH. Any suitable means such as a clamp 42 andbolts 43 and 44, respectively, may be employed to fasten the holdersections 4| and 4| to the base 40.

The slitter die H has plate-like blades and plate-like spacers 5| besidesaid blades. The upper ends of the spacers 5| are flat and arepreferably arranged in stepped relationship to each other and to theupper end of the slitter blade 50.

The folder die J comprises a series of blocklike members which areanchored by bolts 66 upon the outer sections 4| of the die holder M instepped relation to the spacers 5| and are provided at their outer edgeswith stepped undercut portions 61 and 68.

The punch assembly E includes a holder 10 having a head 1| between thebase 36 of the I- beam 33 and the lower arm 36 of the yoke 35, andclamping sections 13 and 16, respectively which are carried by the head1| within a recess 14 in the lower forward corner thereof. The slitterblades 58 of the punch assembly are disposed in upright, staggered,overlapping and parallel relation to each other between plate-likespacers. Any suitable means such as bolts 18 may be used to holdtogether the clamping sections '13 and 16 and any suitable means such asbolts 19 may be used to fasten the clamped sections 13 and 16 to thehead 1|.

When assembled between the clamping sections 13 and 16, the lowerworking ends of the slitter blades 58 project slightly below the lowerends of the spacers so as to overlap in scissors-like formation thecuttingedges of the slitter blades 50 on the downward stroke of thepunch holder 10 to effect the slitting operation.

The folder punch assembly F comprises a die holder 82 rigid with thedepending flange 34 of theI-beam 33, and folder blades 83, 84 and,respectively within a recess 86 in a lower end of the holder 82 are heldin assembled relation therein by means of-a clamping wedge '81 that isboltedor otherwise suitably connected to the holder. As shown; theblades 83 to inclusive are arranged'overlappingly and inwardly inclinedwith the lower working ends thereof in downwardly stepped relation formating engagement with the top and under-cut portions 61 and .68 of thedie J; 1

In the present instance, the sheet material X is fed from a power drivenroll thereof (not shown) onto and along the feed bed D to the slitterpunch and die assemblies E and H respectively which collectivelyconstitute the first station where the slits 8' and 8 are successivelyformed. Such material Xis then advanced to the folder punch and dieassemblies F and'J which collectively constitute the second stationwhere portions of the material beside the slits are folded into inclinedrelation to the sheet material to form the louvers 2' and legs 4 of thesun screen.

A stripper bar 99 is movable vertically within a suitable recess 9| inthe lower end of the clamping section'12 of the holder 1!! forengagement with the sheetmaterial X to partially control the advancementthereof to the two stations above mentioned. As shown, this stripper bar90 is connected to the'lower' end of a vertical bolt'92 slidably mountedin the clamping section 12 and having the head 93 thereof within arecess 94 in said clampingsection. A coil spring 95 is sleeved upon thebolt 92 within an enlarged recess 96 in the clamping section 12 and in asimilar recess 91 in the stripper bar 99 and urges the latter downwardlyupon the sheet material X to hold it against advancement into themachine. However, when the head 93 of the bolt 92 engages the bottom ofthe recess 94 in the clamping section 12 during the upward movement ofthe punch holder 10, the stripper bar 99 will be raised to permitadvancement of the sheet material from the-first station to the secondstation.

Cooperating with the stripper bar 90 to tempo-' rarily limit advancementof the sheet material at the first station preparatory to the slittingoperation, is a stationary plate 15 extending trans: versely of themachine between the uprights II and I2 and secured thereto at its endsin any suitable manner (not shown) or may be supported from any otherstationary portion of the machine,-

such as the fixed die assembly C. This plate is. provided along itslower edge with a laterally extending foot portion constituting a stop|00 extending downwardly into the path of the advancing sheet material Xto limit the advance thereof at the first station and prior to thedownward slitting stroke of the punch assembly. E. The operating face ofthe stop I00 is preferably formed with regularly off-set portions alongits,

length (not'shown) to conform to the shape of a slittedblank. such as isshown'in Figure 15.

partially formed portions of the blank binding or jamming against themoving parts thereof. In addition, the time required for machines ofthis type to complete one cycle of operation has been reduced, thusincreasing the overall speed and out-put thereof.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications in construction and design may be made in the invention asherein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scopethereof which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for transforming a sheet of material into apredetermined configuration, the combination comprising: a frame; atable supported upon said frame over which said sheet material isadvanced unidirectionally; a die at one end of said table, said diehaving a shearing edge in the plane of the table and a depressed stepadjacent to said shearing edge; a punch having a slitting shearcooperable with said shearing edge for slitting said sheet material andadapted to press the sheared portion of said sheet against said step,said punch being reciprocably supported upon said frame above said die;a stripper bar reciprocably supported upon said punch for alternatelychecking and permitting the advancement of said sheet material;resilient means urging said stripper bar toward said sheet material; anda stationary stop secured to said frame and extending into the path ofthe sheet material but vertically spaced from the depressed slittedportion thereof.

2. In a machine for transforming a sheet of material into apredetermined configuration, the combination comprising: a frame; ahorizontal table supported within said frame over which said sheetmaterial is advanced unidirectionally; a die assembly secured to one endof said table, said die having a plurality of shearing edges in theplane of the table and a plurality of depressed steps remote from saidtable; a punch assembly having slitting shears and folding plates, saidpunch assembly being vertically, reciprocably supported by said frameabove said die assembly, said slitting shears operably engaging said dieassembly shearing edges for slitting and depressing a portion of saidsheet material successively against said steps, and said folding platescooperating with said depressed steps for shaping said sheet materialslitted portions; a stripper bar reciprocably supported upon said punchassembly for alternately checking and permitting the advancement of saidsheet material; a resilient means urging said stripper bar toward saidsheet material; and a stationary stop secured to said frame, positionedbetween said slitting shears and said folding plates and extending intothe path of the sheet material on the table, all so arranged andconstructed that said sheet material is prevented from advancing whilebeing slitted and folded.

3. In a machine for transforming a thin sheet of material into apredetermined configuration including a plurality of substantiallyparallel, spaced portions, the combination comprising: a frame; ahorizontal table supported within said frame upon and along which saidsheet material is advanced under continuous unidirectional pressure; adie assembly secured to said frame and adjacent to one end of saidtable, said die having a series of discontinuous, parallel shearingedges arranged in the plane of the table and a plurality of depressedsteps extending away from said shearing edges and said table; a punchassembly having a slitting head and a folding head, said assembly beingreciprocably mounted upon said frame above said die assembly forvertical movement with respect thereto, said slitting head havingshearing plates cooperating with the said shearing edges of said dieassembly for slitting said sheet material and depressing the slittedportions thereof against the first of said depressed steps when saidpunch assembly is moved downwardly, and said folding head having foldingplates cooperating with said depressed steps for shaping said sheetmaterial slitted portions when said punch assembl is moved downwardly; astripper bar vertically reciprocably supported upon said slitting headfor alternately checking and permitting the advancement of said sheetmaterial, said stripper bar extending slightly below the lower edges ofsaid shearing plates when said punch assembly is in the raised position;a resilient means urging said stripper bar into the extended position;and a stationary stop secured to said frame slidably engaging saidslitting head and positioned between said slitting head and said foldinghead, said stop extending into the path of the sheet material on thetable but vertically spaced from the slitted portion thereof depressedagainst said first step; all arranged and constructed so that said sheetmaterial is engaged first by said stripper bar and then by said shearingplates when said punch assembly is moved downwardly and said sheetmaterial may be successively advanced each time said punch assembly israised high enough to lift said stripper bar awa from said sheetmaterial.

4. In a machine for transforming a sheet of material into apredetermined configuration, the combination comprising: a frame; ahorizontal table supported within said frame over which said sheetmaterial is advanced unidirectionally; a die assembly secured to one endof said table, said die having a plurality of shearing edges in theplane of the table and a plurality of depressed steps remote from saidtable; a punch assembly having slitting shears and folding plates, saidpunch assembly being vertically, reciprocably supported by said frameabove said die assembly, said slitting shears operably engaging said dieassembly shearing edges for slitting and depressing a portion of saidsheet material successively against said steps, and said folding platescoopcrating with said depressed steps for shaping said sheet materialslitted portions; a stripper bar reciprocably supported upon said punchassembly r for alternately checking and permitting the advancement ofsaid sheet material; means for urging said stripper bar toward saidsheet material; and a stationary stop secured to said frame, positionedbetween said slitting shears and said folding plates and extending intothe path of the sheet material on the table, all so arranged andconstructed that said sheet material is prevented from advancing whilebeing slitted and folded.

WALKLEY B. EWING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

